Climate solutions are within reach

British Columbia is changing before our eyes. We missed an entire ski season on the North Shore Mountains. Mountain Pine beetles have killed swaths of our provincial forests. We spent the winter revelling in our warm and sunny weather while the rest of the country was buried in snow.

As academics, we know that climate change is responsible for a warming climate in B.C., even if we cannot know what underlies the weather on any particular day. Temperatures have increased an average of 0.5 to 1.7 degrees Celsius in B.C. over the past century, depending on the location. This rate of warming is twice as high as the global average.

As a result, species ranges have shifted northward, as organisms from butterflies to caribou migrate to better match their ideal temperature. The fish caught off our coast are normally found in warmer waters than typical for B.C., with a shift of almost a degree Celsius per decade, one of the fastest shifts globally. Oolichan, a culturally important fish to many B.C. First Nations, have virtually disappeared from their southern range limits.

Scientists are a cautious bunch by nature. Given this, it is remarkable that 60 scientists from across Canada joined together and agreed on realistic and achievable goals to curtail Canada's greenhouse gas emissions, through an initiative known as Sustainable Canada Dialogues.

The resulting report, released last week, has received extensive support from policy-makers, scientists and others because it focuses on solutions that are achievable and it provides a sound basis for federal and provincial policy development. B.C. has historically played a critical leadership role, both nationally and globally, in tackling climate change. The revenue-neutral carbon tax is a prime example, held up as a model around the world for effective climate policy. Another is B.C.'s promise to reduce emissions by 33 per cent from a 2007 baseline by the year 2020. B.C.'s carbon tax is widely used as an example of the positive effects carbon pricing can have on greenhouse gas emissions. B.C. realized a 17.4 per cent decline in fuel use from 2008 to 2012, while other provinces have increased by 1.5 per cent.

However, the job is not done. Without new policies, B.C. won't be able to meet its 2020 targets. More importantly, in the absence of effective federal government leadership, Canada is not on target to meet the commitments we made to the United Nations. B.C. can continue to show leadership by adopting new policies to meet its own targets, but also show leadership to help get Canada on track to play a meaningful role in global greenhouse gas reductions.

The Sustainable Canada Dialogues call for a national approach to economywide pricing. Both a carbon tax (like B.C.'s) and a cap and trade system (like Quebec's) can be effective and address issues of fairness between regions and income groups. This is not a tax grab (By law, B.C.'s carbon tax doesn't increase the total revenue received); this is a progressive system to provide incentive for market behaviour that will help keep our planet livable for our children and grandchildren.

Provincial and territorial leaders will be meeting at the First Ministers' conference on climate in April in Quebec City, and B.C. should play a leadership role in convincing other provinces to adopt ambitious targets and cost-effective policies. If enough provinces get on board, it will be much easier for the federal government to justify acting and put Canada in a position to be a constructive participant in the pivotal UN climate change talks in Paris in December of this year.

Actions that we can take individually also make a difference. Use and support investment in public transit. Switch to a more fuel-efficient vehicle; bike or walk when you can. Make your home more energy efficient. Think about the carbon footprint before making a purchase. Reuse and recycle. Wear a sweater and turn down the heat, at home and at work. Tell political candidates and their pollsters that climate change matters to you as a voter.

Most importantly, let's continue the dialogue. Events throughout Canada are being launched to invite the public to learn and discuss how to move forward in the face of climate change, including an event to be held this Friday at UBC called Climate change: Science, policy and politics that will bring together scientists and politicians to discuss climate solutions. Finally, we encourage British Columbians to read and endorse our report online atsustainablecanadadialogues. ca/en/endorsement.

Countering climate change is the overwhelming challenge of the 21st century, but that does not mean that we have to be overwhelmed.

Climate solutions are within reach

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